Page 41 of New Growth
“Girl, yes, possible,” Esther said firmly.
“Why would she be jealous of me?” I asked, almost as if I was asking myself as well.
“Because,” Esther sang out. “You are extremely talented, beautiful, and successful. So she’s in competition with you.”
“But… for what purpose?” I asked, shaking my head. “We’re all friends.”
“She doesn’t see it that way,” Esther said, her voice softer now, almost tired. She sighed. “Where are you anyway?”
“I’m at Lizzie’s,” I said, stepping into the café. “That expensive-ass iced coffee from wherever the hell Hope took me was not it. I need something with flavor.”
Esther let out a laugh. “Ouu, get me a slice of her pound cake. She gotta be putting crack in there.”
I chuckled. “Anything else?”
“She got any cheesecake?”
“I don’t know, I’ll have… to… see.”
My steps slowed, my breath catching in my throat.
At the back of the café, sitting in a corner but still within a perfect view of the entrance, was him. The man from the other day.
Elliot.
His eyes met mine, and for a moment, everything else faded. Damn.
The man was sexy, okay?
It was no use denying that. Those strange greenish blue eyes held me captive for longer than I’d like, but I couldn’t look away. He looked…relieved to see me. Or maybe I was imagining it.
“Hello? E? You there?” Esther’s voice crackled in my ear.
I swallowed, my fingers tightening around my phone. “Let me call you back.”
I hung up, breaking eye contact as quickly as I could, then made a beeline for the farthest corner of the café.
“Ellie! How are you, babe?” Lizzie called out, grinning.
“I’m good,” I said, glancing around behind the counter at fresh faces. “I see you’ve got some new staff.”
Lizzie scoffed. “Had to. As amazing as I am, I can’t do it all. What about you? Trying something new or the same as usual?”
“The same, please. Oh, and can you add a slice of cheesecake and one of the pound cakes?”
Lizzie gave me a knowing look. “Esther?”
“Yep.”
she shook her head. “No problem. By the way, that guy from before—the one who drank your coffee? He’s been in here every day since.”
I froze. “Really?”
Lizzie nodded as she punched my order in. “Yup. And he asks for you, too.”
I felt a strange flutter in my chest but quickly shoved it down. “Oh, God. For what?”
Lizzie shrugged. “I don’t know, but maybe you could ask him yourself because he’s coming over here right now.”
